The annual LA homeless count has begun

The annual LA homeless count has begun

Thousands of volunteers will fan out across Los Angeles County this week to survey unhoused people, an annual event that determines how millions in funding is directed across the region. The Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count, which starts Tuesday, is the largest of its kind in the country, according to officials, with volunteers covering more than 4,000 square miles in three days. Small groups in assigned areas will tally the number of people, tents, shelters and vehicles they see on the streets. Typically, the results are released in the spring or early summer. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, which leads the count, says the data volunteers collect is essential for understanding homelessness in the region and for sending resources where they're needed most. For more on the count, we are joined by Makenna Sievertson, reporter for LAist who attended yesterday’s press conference on the start of the homeless count.

With files from LAist.

As the L.A. Central Library celebrates its centennial, we discuss its history and significance

This year marks 100 years since the Los Angeles Central Library opened; the Central Library has served as the heart of the city’s public library system since it officially opened in July of 1926. The original building was designed by architect Bertram Goodhue, with its Tom Bradley wing having been opened in 1993, with the architects behind that section being Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates. The Goodhue building has also received recognition on the federal level, having been a part of the National Register of Historic Places since 1970. With 2026 being the Library’s centennial, the institution has now released multiple events over the course of the year to celebrate its anniversary. Today on AirTalk, we’ll dig into the Central Library’s history with John Szabo, and hear from listeners about their fondest memories of the library. Would you like to share your favorite memory of the L.A. Central Library and/or its services? Join the conversation by calling us at 866-892-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.

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Learn more about the Central Library’s centennial and its events by clicking here.

How are community clinics responding to ACA subsidy expansions ending?

Enhanced ACA subsidies are ending, making health insurance more expensive for large portions of the population. Without proper health insurance, patients will need to find alternative forms of care. One safety net for the underinsured are community health clinics that either offer totally free care or at a sliding cost. Today on AirTalk, we find out how some local clinics are preparing for a potential influx of patients as subsidies change and what demographics the ending of enhancements will affect the most. We’re joined by Shannon McConville, senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California where she researches health policy, Mitesh Popat M.D., CEO of Venice Family Clinic, and Sarah Hawkins, Executive director of the Conejo Free Clinic located in Thousand Oaks. We also want to hear from you! If you rely on a community health clinic for care, tell us your experience. Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.

Do you like small talk with strangers?

Longtime AirTalk listeners know that when Larry hits the road for a little vacay, he’s out there talking to people. He’s asking questions to the person manning the register at the only gas station for miles about the makeup of the local community, issues impacting them, and how they like it there. In the end, both Larry and the cashier walk away from the interaction knowing a bit more about someone else, but likely not enough to say, “hey, we should hang out sometime.” Sometimes, you just want to talk with someone, and that someone could be anyone. But if you’re anyone, do you find yourself receptive to these kinds of small talk situations? We want to hear from you about it! Give us a call at 866-893-5722, or you can email us at atcomments@laist.com and let us know if you’re down with small talk and why. Or if you’re not a fan, how do you politely communicate that to the stranger who means well? Chime in and let us know.